MOVIE REVIEW: Forget about what you know about Sci-Fi and 3D. James Cameron's Avatar reinvents the genre and the 3D technology beyond what I and tons of people expect one man could. Cameron has made his mark in Tinsel Town a long time ago, but he just separated himself from the pack waaay out in front on this one.
He is the most imaginative and inventive filmmaker we have today. I dare anyone prove otherwise. His stories have always had a classic, timeless feel to it that encompasses all generation, creed, race, and social status. He is about human and always reminds us that no matter what time or place we may happen to be in or what situation we get ourselves or someone else in that the human spirit will be our ultimate savior.
Avatar isn't a brand new story. But its mythical proportion provides a subtle but familiar ticket to a world that crosses dreams and reality into one believable, awe-inspiring journey that you won't want to leave anytime soon.
The film centers around a paralyzed ex-Marine, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), whose twin brother died while serving as a research scientist for a human endeavor corporation intent on mining Polyphemus' Earth-sized moon of Pandora dry of its precious energy-soaked mineral rock layer called unobtanium. Jake's brother was killed while participating in the Avatar program (a highly complicated but ingenious genome project that allows a human control an alien body using the entire brain) which is the corporation's humane alternative to removing the Na'vi — the native inhabitants of Pandora — away from their "home tree" which happens to be sitting right on top of the highest deposit of unobtanium in the entire moon.
The special effects and the perfect integration of the CGI/3D elements with the actual actors and objects are staggering. The new technology may already be here, but I highly doubt anyone can use its full potential as much as Cameron just did.
The movie is almost 3 hours long, but you really won't feel the time passing because the writing and editing is superb. The action, visuals, characters, and the pace of the story all work together to keep you entertained and attended for the entire length of the film. Other elements to take note of while watching the movie are the creature, alien, machine, and aircraft designs which most of them are taken from existing or extinct animals and modern technology.
Yes, the movie (much like most Cameron movies) does carry obvious political and environmental issues based on mankind's aweful sense of "entitlement" in which we take "but not give back" as Cameron explains it. But all of these subtext issues aren't so overwhelming that it seems like Cameron is shoving whatever it is he wants to point out right on your face over and over again whether you want it to or not.
That said, it is a bit of a nuisance when the film takes you to a prestine environment that resembles something out of a fantasy world then brings you right back down to Earth with political references that's been done to death. To Cameron's credit, he never makes those messages subliminal but rather put out in the open for everyone to see and take a closer look should you choose to.
But don't let any of these stop you from experiencing one of the most successfully ambitious project any filmmaker has created since, well, Titanic. However, I must say that Avatar is meant to be seen on IMAX. No, it's not a ploy to secretly market IMAX, especially from someone who hates those movies who uses cheap tactics like IMAX or 3D to make you want to see them but fail to justify their means. So shell out a few more dollars to see it in what I think is the best use of 3D technology ever. You definitely won't regret it.
Avatar (2009) (Lightstorm Entertaiment/20th Century Fox). MPAA rating: PG-13 for intense battle sequences and warfare, sensuality, language, and some smoking. Running Time: 2 hours, 41 minutes. Now Playing.
FUN FACTOR: A+
STORY: C+ACTING: B
ORIGINALITY: A-
SCORE: A
STUPID LEVEL: 1/10
VERDICT: An epic film that redefines the Sci-Fi genre
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